


the wraith's nightmare

by MavenMorozova



Category: Renegades - Marissa Meyer, Six of Crows Series - Leigh Bardugo, The Grishaverse - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Christmas, Crossover, Crossover Pairings, F/F, Gay, Girls Kissing, Holidays, I love my badass girls, Kissing, Light Angst, New Years, One Shot, Pining, YEEEEEET, cuz its a one shot, no slow burn, y'all ready for this?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-02
Updated: 2020-01-02
Packaged: 2021-02-27 09:42:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,314
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22085086
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MavenMorozova/pseuds/MavenMorozova
Summary: The woman spun around, and Nova could finally see her face clearly. She had dark skin, strongly defined cheekbones, and the most beautiful eyes Nova had ever seen. “Yes?”“I–” Suddenly, Nova couldn’t think, much less speak. Her tongue was a solid rock that refused to move. Her mouth opened a few times before it snapped shut. She swallowed. “Who are you?”
Relationships: Inej Ghafa/Nova Artino | Nightmare
Kudos: 8





	the wraith's nightmare

**Author's Note:**

  * For [narcissacronin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/narcissacronin/gifts).



> hey y'all what's up this is a gift for insomnia-sketch/insomniasketch for the holidays both here and on Tumblr:)) <3

Grey skies and foggy windows were the icing on Nova’s imaginary cake on a dreadful winter day in Gatlon. The smell of rain was in the air, which sat heavily on her shoulders. She couldn’t wait to return to her new apartment. **  
**

Nova ran the back of her hand across her sweaty forehead and drummed her fingers against the railing she was leaning against. She wouldn’t be here at all if it weren’t for Oscar’s antics. He claimed that he’d ran out of diapers for Sebastian, his and Ruby’s second baby, so apparently, it became Nova’s job to rush to the store to grab some, with Ruby still at HQ.

But it was the holiday season, and there was a line. Nova frowned at the queue of people attempting to buy last-minute gag gifts, snacks, ingredients, and decorations. If Adrian were here, he’d tell her to lighten up. Adrian loved Christmas. But Nova shook the thoughts away. Adrian was gone, killed by Ace Anarchy in the Second Battle of Gatlon. She was alone.

Just then, a lithe woman with dark braids and a purple cloak swept by, a crazed expression on her face. Nova gave a huff and turned away, but something caught her attention. Cloak? What century was this? She must have been freezing. The woman’s whole outfit, in fact, jolted Nova to a past she didn’t quite want to remember, her past alter ego, Nightmare. With the beautiful woman’s hood pulled to cover her face, harnesses and knives strapped to her body, she was a reminder of the struggle Nova had once faced.

Before she could hesitate a second longer, Nova stepped out of the queue and chased after the purple-cloaked figure, calling for her to wait.

The woman spun around, and Nova could finally see her face clearly. She had dark skin, strongly defined cheekbones, and the most beautiful eyes Nova had ever seen. “Yes?”

“I–” Suddenly, Nova couldn’t think, much less speak. Her tongue was a solid rock that refused to move. Her mouth opened a few times before it snapped shut. She swallowed. “Who _are_ you?”

“I am Inej,” the woman replied, shifting a strap that encased one shoulder. “Have we met?”

Nova shook her head. “I just–you seem familiar. But also not.” She paused to breathe in once and out. “You’re not from here.”

“So glad you noticed,” Inej intoned. “Now, if you are working for any of the Dregs, please tell them to leave me alone.” She turned, adjusted her hood, and ran off.

“Wait!” Nova called behind her. She ran to catch up, but her days of working for the Anarchists were far behind her, and she found that she couldn’t reach Inej. “Please, stop! I’m not working for any ‘Dregs!’” She skidded to a halt, panting. “Please.”

Inej paused, turning again to look at Nova. “Can you help me, then?”

“Yes,” Nova breathed, taking Inej’s hand, callused, as Nova’s once had been. “I was affiliated with the Anarchists for ten years, but all that’s done now. Come on, I’ll take you to my apartment, and you can explain to me what’s going on, why you’re here.”

Inej pursed her lips and pulled her hand from Nova’s quickly. “Please, do not touch me unless I say.” Nova nodded. “I’m sorry.” She beckoned to the sidewalk. “Come on, this way.”

They walked in silence for only a few awkward moments before Inej broke the tension. “What did you say your name was?”

“I’m Nova.”

Inej sighed. “Nova, I do not know how I am here. But I come from a place called Ketterdam, or at least, that was my home for most of my life. Recently, I have taken to traveling the world, finding and destroying slavers, but this city, it seems stranger than any place I have ever been.”

Nova’s head was spinning. Had Inej said _slavers_? “I’ve never heard of Ketterdam,” she commented. “Is it far? Overseas?”

Inej nodded. “I sailed here across two seas. The True Sea, past Novyi Zem, and across an even larger ocean that I had never heard of before. It was so expansive, that at one point I thought of turning my ship around. But my first mate told me to keep going, so I did. And there was this great storm a few days later. There seemed to be this shiny barrier and I ordered my sailors to go in the opposite direction. But we were too close, and we went right through this layer, and on the other side, the skies were grey but not stormy, it was much colder, and I saw land where there was not before.” Inej turned to meet Nova’s eyes, her gaze, though confused, filled with ferocity. “Then I arrived here. My crew guards my ship at the dock, and I made my way to the city.”

Though her expression and tone were calm, Nova could feel Inej’s panic. It seemed, though impossible, that Inej was from another world altogether. Although, perhaps, it wasn’t impossible. Certainly, there was a prodigy out there who could jump universes. Only improbable, this feat was.

“You’ll have to stay here for a while, I’m guessing,” Nova told Inej when they reached her apartment. She fumbled with her key before inserting it into the lock and creaking open the door. It was a shabby place, the most Nova could afford. But to Inej, it seemed to be not a problem at all. The woman flounced down on Nova’s sofa, running her hands over her face and breathing a deep sigh. “It has been a long time since I have sat on land,” she mumbled. “You do not know how good this feels, to leave the swaying sea waves behind for a bit.”

Nova cautiously sat beside her, their thighs brushing. To her surprise, Inej did not slip away, but instead turned to her. Nova could feel her breath on her skin. “Why are you helping me?”

Nova shook her head softly, her breath erratic. She swallowed and pulled away from the intoxicating beauty of Inej’s angular face, standing and pivoting so she would not be tempted. Just because she was lonely for love didn’t mean Inej felt the same way. Besides, it seemed as if Inej was much more reserved with her affections than Nova was.

But Inej stood, closing the space between them, and placed a trembling hand on Nova’s cheek. “I know what you want,” she whispered. “I see it without a doubt. You are not very good at hiding your thoughts, Nova.” Her beautiful dark eyes blinked once, twice, her dark lashes fluttering. Nova’s heart skipped a beat. She was frozen to her spot in her living room, unable to resist the pull of Inej.

“No one,” Inej continued, “has ever wanted me wholeheartedly, without barriers, without armor, without hesitation. I admire that.” One side of her mouth quirked. “Perhaps, then, I will allow you one kiss.” She leaned forward towards Nova, who was still rooted to the spot, her heart racing faster every moment. Their lips brushed lightly. Inej’s were chapped and dry from many days at sea, but Nova did not care. She leaned into Inej, but Inej stepped back. “No. I do not know you, Nova.”

Nova sighed and looked down at the carpet, over at the archway to the kitchen, anything to distract her from Inej’s eyes, her lips. “Of course. I’m sorry.”

Inej’s mouth hinted at the ghost of a smile as she sat on the couch again, crossing her left leg over her right. “Maybe one day, Nova. When you know me better. When I can let down my guard. But as of yet, you are a stranger in a strange city. When I discover the secret of how I came here, when I find out why the Saints let that happen, we can perhaps finish our kiss.”

**Author's Note:**

> hope you enjoyed, please leave kudos if you did (or comment with praise/constructive criticism)! Have a happy happy new year and decade!


End file.
